1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a sealed electrical connector provided with a joint compression device. Such connectors are more particularly used for connecting an electrical harness comprising a large number of channels to equipment such as an automotive computer which controls braking assistance and anti-wheel lock devices. Because of the large number of channels to be connected, such connectors comprise a large number of contacts and to provide the rear seal of the connector at the plug, they are provided with a joint pierced for the passage of contacts and cables connected to the said contacts. Moreover, in order to render the mating between the connector plugs and receptacles easier, a means of mating assistance is generally provided.
2. Brief Description of Related Developments
Connector devices comprising a mating assistance device are known.
For example, document DE-U-87 14 016 concerns a plug-receptacle connector, in which the plug is provided with a lever rotating about a plug axis, provided with a toothed part and arms connected by a manoeuvring segment, the toothed part being destined to mesh with the supplementary teeth of the receptacle in such a way as to make possible the mating and unmating of the plug and receptacle by means of manoeuvring the lever.
Document EP 0 273 999 A2 adopts the principle of a toothed lever, but this is arranged on the receptacle and interlocked to the receptacle by an axis of rotation and drags a stirrup provided with a reception and dragging ramp of studs, arranged on the plug.
An example of the connector with a pierced joint for the passage of contacts is described in, for example, the documents U.S. Pat. No. 5,299,949 and WO98/37597. The rear joint described in these documents is retained between a body of the connector and a retention element integral with the body of the connector.
The present invention has the object of providing a connector comprising an improved rear seal device.
In order to accomplish this, the invention relates to mainly to a connector comprising a housing body, a contact-carrying insert, a rear grid guidance and cable retention grid, a joint provided with passages for wires which are arranged between the contact-carrying insert and the rear grid, the insert being retained in the body of the housing and able to move between a forward position of joint relaxation and a backward position of compression of the joint against the rear grid.
The contact-carrying insert and the body of the housing can moreover comprise a first means of stopping in a forward position of the insert.
The means of stopping can consist of an external ribbed shoulder of the insert and an internal ribbed shoulder of the housing body.
In a preferred form of embodiment, the insert consists of a main body provided with plug receptacle for the reception of contacts, associated with element carrying terminal locking blades. The joint is arranged leaning with its lower face against the terminal locking blade carrying element and with its lateral faces against a rear skirt of the principal body, the upper face of the joint being in contact with the lower face of the rear grid.
In a particular form of embodiment, the fist module can be provided with a means of mating and locking assistance, with a supplementary module comprising a means of dragging the first module by transfer in a direction parallel to a mating axis of the first and second modules. Under the action of these means of dragging, the insert comes to press by its forward face against a front face provided with contact terminals of the supplementary module and is pushed into a backward position.
The means of mating assistance can, in particular, comprise a dragging device of a stud, integral with one of the modules, in a direction opposite to the direction of the mating of the two modules, when the latter are in the process of being mated.
Advantageously, the supplementary module comprises a peripheral skirt surrounding the said front face, the housing body comprising a peripheral wall whose lower edge supports an upper edge of the peripheral skirt.
Still according to the invention, the first module is provided with a cover provided with a means of locking on the housing body, the cover comprising tabs supported on the rear guidance grid.
The means manoeuvre and locking can consists of a lever provided with at least one manoeuvre arm and at least one stud, the lever being provided with at least one stud reception aperture, the stud constituting an axis of rotation of the lever, the lever comprising a means of dragging the modules in the direction of mating and unmating.
The means of dragging can, in particular, consist of a toothed pinion on the lever and a rack bar on the first module.